


Reflections on The New Law

by carolej126, TeriH



Category: The Magnificent Seven (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-28
Updated: 2019-04-28
Packaged: 2020-02-09 06:23:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 4,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18632599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carolej126/pseuds/carolej126, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeriH/pseuds/TeriH
Summary: Originally published in Let's Ride #15 (Neon RainBow Press, 2012)Written by the Mod Squad (otherwise known as Brigitta, Carole, and Teri).  Written for a VinList Celebration.Musings on the events surrounding the episode, "The New Law."





	1. Buck Wilmington

Howdy Darlin's, 

I can't think of anything I would rather do than talk to a bevy of beauties such as yourselves.   Granted, we are discussing _The New Law_ and it was not one of my more shining moments, but I guess we all have times that we aren't exactly proud of.   You might have noticed that I wasn't exactly thinking with the correct portion of my anatomy.   

Marshal Bryce, now there is an interesting character.  He waltzes into town and promptly tells us to hand over our guns.  Nathan tried to tell him that we were the only back-up he had, but he didn't give a damn.  Next thing you know the man's posting his new law all over town.   I knew Chris wasn't going to hang around but didn't worry about it.  Chris and I have a way of running into each other.  'Sides, he had Vin to watch his back and I had other business to deal with. 

My business' name was Miss Millie, and a cute little filly she was.  I'd been working on her for near on to 3 months and was about to see the results of my labor.  If my bladder hadn't betrayed me… well you probably don't need to know about that.  Anyway, next thing I know I'm being tossed into jail for public indecency.  Heck, I was just relieving myself.   

Three days…THREE days I was in that jail watching that fool man.  Well, the minute Bryce let me out of jail I went and found JD.  Boy was wearing an even stupider hat than normal.  I had one thought and that was for us to hightail it outta that town, and we would have made it if I hadn't been distracted by Miss Millie.  Now in my own behalf, she did throw herself at me, and me being the gentleman I am, well I didn't want to be rude.   

Next thing you know I'm back in that dang jail cell.  Wouldn't you know, that's when this Earl fella decides to make his move on the town.  Now Miss Travis and I both tried to tell the marshal that he needed back-up.  I was here and willing to help but he said letting me out of jail and giving a _prisoner_ a weapon went against his principles.   

Well let me tell you where his principles got him.  They got him in the cell next to me with a bullet hole in him.  Man was a fool, but one of the bravest and most principled men I ever met.  Damn shame.  

Well, JD hadn't made it out of town yet.  He showed up at the jail wearing the ugliest hat I ever did see.  I told him to go find the others but he was determined not to leave me behind and as luck would have it, they found him.  Most beautiful sight I ever saw was JD, Vin and Chris walking through that front door.   

We high-tailed it out of town and joined up with the others.  Weren't sure at that point what we were going to do, but we did know one thing.  No way were we going to let them have _our_ town.   

Well a few uniforms and some gun-play later, and life was soon back to normal.   

Reckon that's all I have to say on the matter.   

Now, what say you let ol' Buck buy you all a drink? 

**Buck Wilmington**


	2. Chris Larabee

My thoughts when Marshal Bryce rode into town?  Besides who the hell is this... my first thought was for the bounty on Vin's head and if Bryce knew Vin was wanted.  When the marshal said nothing... right from the get go it was clear he was someone who would have said something immediately... I realized he didn’t know … yet.

However, it would only be a matter of time.  Vin would need to leave and if he was leaving so was I.  I'd said I'd ride with him to Tascosa.  As soon as he said the word, I was ready to pack up and go.  Had been from the day he told me about the bounty. 

I knew Bryce was making a mistake but he wasn't someone who'd listen to a "gunfighter.”  Met his type before.  Besides, the judge had tried and failed so there was little I could say that would make a man like Bryce change his mind.  A few things I'd like to have done but there seemed little point.  The town wanted this.  Perhaps not everyone, but most people wanted real law and order and who was I to stand in the way?

I had mixed feelings about leaving Four Corners.  On one hand, I'd never intended staying long and so moving on was always in the back of my mind.  On the other... Billy Travis.  I enjoyed spending time with him.  The way he looked up at me reminded me so much of the awe and innocence I used to see in my son's face.  Others saw a gunfighter.  Billy saw straight through that.

I wasn't particularly happy about just riding away from the town.  There would be trouble.  As Vin said, Four Corners isn't Kansas, but the judge must have felt Bryce could do the job or he wouldn't have got on that stage and left his grandson under Bryce's care. 

I supposed it was thoughts of Billy that led me to think of my own son and the promise I'd made standing over his grave.  I needed to fulfill that promise and with Bryce taking over, it was time for me to find those responsible. 

Naturally Buck ended up in jail as soon as true law came to town.   You can always count on Buck.  Buck was never one much for rules and Bryce's weren't going to suit Buck's lifestyle.  J.D. would wait for Buck.  The kid mentioned going off to join the rangers.  Hopefully Buck will talk some sense into him.  J.D. is a fine young man but he deserves a life better than drifting from one place to another or fighting for the rest of his life.  A place to call his own and family, that's what J.D. deserves.

The others were going their own way - Nathan and Josiah to the reservation and Ezra to any other town with a game of poker.  We came together for a reason and once that reason had been taken away there was no reason to stay.  The moment when we were actually ready to ride out was awkward and I realized then that Four Corners and these men were more than just a stopover in my life like so many before them.

I knew Vin was going after the wagon and would then meet me in Purgatory.  Not sure if he said so, but that's what we intended.  Clearing Vin's name was important.  After that, we'd track down the people responsible for the murder of my family.  After that... the man I'd become at that time didn't think that far ahead.

When I saw Mary on the back of that horse riding into Purgatory, I knew something was badly wrong.  If Bryce was in trouble...  the town was in trouble... which meant Buck and J.D. were right in the middle of things.  Our reason to stay together had returned.  I knew the others would respond immediately. 

Thankfully all went well and the judge arranged for us to stay a little longer.

Okay.  I'll admit it.  I was pleased... don't tell anyone I said that.  You'll ruin my dark reputation.  

 

**Christopher Larabee**


	3. Ezra P. Standish

My Dear Ladies,

It is a pleasure to be invited to contribute to your quarterly Celebration.  My understanding is that the time we refer to as _The New Law_ is the focus of your gathering.   I shall endeavor to share my thoughts of this rather unique occurrence. 

First I should say that I had never expected to find myself employed as a peacekeeper to start with.  If you recall, I had been pressed into service in order to clear my good name.  The dollar a day, plus room and board was hardly enticement to stay on its own.  In reality, the fact that my so called choice of employment annoyed Mother was far more incentive.  

When the judge released us of our duties it was clear that Mr. Dunne was slightly shocked and some of the others a bit worried.  While the judge was in town on occasion, he did not know all that went into our day to day routine to keep what peace we could in our small section of civilization.  Marshal Bryce might have had a reputation in Kansas but in Four Corners he was just a man yet to prove himself to the lawless faction of the populace.

I had always had plans for my future.  _The Standish Tavern!_   A business to call my own and I was only a few poker games away from seeing my dreams come to fruition.  Then the cruel hand of fate with the pounding of a nail sealed my fate.  An 11 o’clock curfew?  No loitering, no imbibing of alcohol, no gambling… no Standish Tavern.  Everyone knows that such an establishment does not even begin to function successfully until that hour or later.  It was clearly time to move on.  

The hour of our new marshal's ultimatum was upon us and our group gathered in the street in preparation for our departures.  We hadn't planned it that way, it just seemed to occur.  I think we all expected that at some point our group would go its separate ways, but the forced disbanding left a sour taste in my mouth.   

Josiah, Nathan and I rode together for a while until our paths split and they turned toward the Indian village while I continued on my way.  My dream of owning my own establishment now on hold, I was prepared to go back to my old life.

Well maybe I wasn't as prepared as I thought.  You see, I had become accustomed to having six friends to watch my back.  It would appear I had become a bit complacent where precautions were concerned… thus my rapid exit from the little shanty town.  Yes, it was a closer call than I care to remember.   I was prepared to ride for my life and yet who seemed to be there when I needed them?  Call it lady luck or fate… I just know it felt right.  Each man in our group was a unique individual, each with our own demons to face, yet together we were a force to be reckoned with. 

As to the rest of the story… well, that you know. 

I hope you found my reminiscing of interest.  May Lady Luck ride with you throughout the coming year. 

Your humble servant, 

**Ezra P. Standish**


	4. J. D. Dunne

Hi All,

It’s me, JD and I guess I’m suppose to share some thoughts on the time Marshall Bryce came to town and the seven of us found ourselves unemployed.  

First I should probably say that when I came out west I wasn’t sure what to expect.  I was hunting for excitement and adventure.  I was a bit naïve and luckily someone upstairs must have been looking out for me.  _Thanks, Ma_.  Anyway, I never expected to be part of something special.  I’m not sure the others saw it that way or really appreciated the fact that alone we were just seven men, but when we came together, well watch out.    

Guess that is why Marshall Bryce just waltzing into town, telling us we had to turn over our guns, and that he was taking over came as such a shock.  The others seemed to take it in stride.  I was shocked and if truth be told, a bit confused by the whole thing, but when the judge said there was nothing he could; well, that pretty much made it official.

The one thing that I never in my wildest dreams expected to happen was that the seven of us would go our separate ways.  Now I know that Chris disappeared almost from the moment Judge Travis relieved us of our duties but never figured he would leave without saying goodbye, and he often took off for a day or two, he’d be back.  Same for Vin, and the others all said they were planning on hanging around.  Then Bryce started posting his new laws for the town and everything changed.  I mean, how could he call Nathan a snake oil salesman?  Nathan has patched all of us up more than once.  

I’m almost ashamed to admit it, but when I decided to head west it was men like Marshall Bryce that I admired.  On the surface he was everything I ever read about in all those books.  A man of principle who walked in and cleaned up a town, his badge a shining reminder for all to see.  It didn’t take me long to realize that what I read, and how things really worked weren’t necessarily the same thing.  The guys showed me that and sadly the marshall learned it the hard way.  Without Buck and the others I might have ended up the same way as Bryce, in a pine box.  

You might have noticed that I was the only one who gave up my guns voluntarily.  I’ve never felt so naked in my life, or so vulnerable.  Not ashamed to admit it since I knew there were more than one or two men who would have loved to find me unarmed and alone.  I figured it was only a temporary thing though, just until Buck got out of jail. Then all hell broke loose.   

I thought I could handle getting Buck out of jail on my own; at least it was a chance I was willing to take.  I can honestly say that I have never been so happy to see Chris and Vin in my life.  Well, we got Buck out and you know the rest of the story.  Seems like there isn’t anything we can’t do as a team.  I think maybe now the others realize that too.  It’s an awful nice feeling to know that someone is watching your back.  

Guess that’s all I have to say on the subject.  I’m off to Kansas now.  Got some business that needs taking care and Ezra said I was the man for the job.  Hope you all have a great Celebration and I’ll be checking in from time to time so if you have any questions just drop me a note.

**J.D. Dunne**


	5. Josiah Sanchez

Well, Ladies, here we are again. 

I have spent some time reflecting on the arrival of Bryce and the series of events that followed.  Bryce was a good man... a fool... but a good man.   You have to respect anyone for following his principles and doing what he thinks best.  Of course any man who fails to listen to advice is blind and Bryce couldn't see the wood for the trees.

Bryce was the sort of man who liked things categorized into little boxes.  He used labels.  His first words to me were "ah, you must be the defrocked priest.  I know all about you."  Knowing _all_ or believing you know all shows you know very little.  I have to wonder what labels he assigned my companions.  Chris - gunfighter.  Vin - tracker.  Ezra - hustler.  I'm guessing of course.

Bryce's attitude was disappointing but hardly surprising.  I had come across more than one 'Bryce' in my life. 

I think the thing that stood out the most for me was his judgment of Nathan.  Nathan said very little but he was deeply hurt and offended by Bryce's comments.  Nathan is a man who gives so freely.  He avoids labels like "doctor" despite the fact he is, without a doubt, the most remarkable doctor I've ever met.  With almost nothing at hand, Nathan can save a life.  Unfortunately, Nathan didn't fit into the neat little box Bryce had set aside for the town's doctor.  The fact that dismissing Nathan left the town without anyone to help them didn't matter.  As I said, Bryce couldn't see the wood for the trees.

I believe the Lord directs my path and it appeared clear that the arrival of Bryce was a sign that He wanted me to move on.  I can't say I wanted to.  Like my companions, I had found contentment in Four Corners.  I was needed.  I was respected.  I was supported.  I'd even go some far as to say I had people who truly cared and it had been a long time since I could claim that.  However, it was time to go.

The pain I saw in J.D.'s eyes the day we rode out cut me to the quick.  The kid had lost his mother and had fallen in with us... six other strays.  J.D. is probably the only one who consciously thought of us as "something.”  When I say that, I mean J.D. saw "us.”  "We.”  Not a collection of individuals riding the same path but rather a single entity.  It is strange that it was the youngest and most naive of us who saw this long before the rest of us.  Perhaps because he was looking for it and the rest of us were walking away from it, trying to avoid it or lost faith that we'd ever find it. 

It?  A sense of belonging, though we had found more than that.

Why did we ride away without looking back?  Perhaps because we couldn't face the fact that we were losing something we hadn't realized we had until that confronting moment when it was slipping through our fingers.

Not unsurprisingly, none of us went far.  A call for help and it was back to being "we.”  "Us.”  Something more than just a collection of men riding the same path.  There was something deeper taking place and we were only just beginning to realize it.

I believe the Lord directs my path and I believe he led me away to show me what I had.  He also led me back... seven lost sheep who formed their own flock.  A flock I am proud and blessed to be a part of. 

God Bless,

**Josiah Sanchez**


	6. Marshal Bryce

Ladies, I hope you don't mind that I've allowed an acquaintance of mine to borrow my email account. He, too, was a part of those days known as The New Law, and I felt it important his voice be heard. Judge Orin Travis

~~~~~~

My name is Federal Marshal Walter Bryce, and I've been invited to share some of my thoughts about the time you know as "The New Law."

I know it may be a bit confusing to see me appear here, due to the fact that I didn't actually survive that incident. But, as I understand it, the normal rules of time, space, life and death don't apply here.

I had, of course, heard of the seven peacekeepers that served as the law in the town of Four Corners, but when the railroad arranged for me to take on the responsibility of protecting that town and enforcing the law, I took it upon myself to learn more. Some of the information I acquired came from news sources, some from men like Judge Travis.

"Defrocked priest." "Gunslinger." "Ex-bounty hunter." "Gambler." "Healer." "Kid." "Rogue." There was more, of course, but those are the words that stayed with me.

And none of those titles were of the sort to earn any respect from me.

I knew I wouldn't be welcomed by these men. I didn't care. I was only interested in results, and based on my experiences in other towns, I knew the way to gain those results.

Or at least I thought I did.

Some have vilified me based on my actions, but I was doing what I thought was best for the town and its citizens: enforcing strict adherence to the law. No exceptions. In short, as you now say, my way or the highway.

I was a fool.

You all know that it didn't work. My experiences had not prepared me for the extent of lawlessness that I would face, and because I was too proud, too arrogant, and too narrow minded to change my ways - or to accept any assistance - in the end, I failed.

Josiah has reminded me - I know, another inconceivable occurrence - that it was my failure that caused the citizens of Four Corners to realize what they had in those seven men. And perhaps it also contributed to those same seven men gaining a new appreciation for each other and the work they had and could yet accomplish.

I hope that's true. I'd like to think that my life, and death, played a significant role in the history of that town.

**Marshal Bryce**


	7. Nathan Jackson

Ladies,

There are only a couple of things that make me lose my temper and one of them is people judging me without knowing who I am.  Marshal Bryce waltzed into town and judged not only me, but six good men I'm proud to call friends.  Men who were willing to defend their home with their lives... Yeah.  I said home.  I know now that part of the pain was because we were starting to see Four Corners as home... though I'm not sure many of us wanted to admit that at the time.

Marshal Bryce was...  Sorry.  I guess you can sense that this is still a raw spot for me. 

Bryce and men like him have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.  It is their way or the highway... or in the case of my past, their way or a flogging.  I am a free man now and free men have the right not to be judged like that. 

I hated that Vin and Chris were going to leave, but Vin had no choice and Chris... it had been building in him again.  His need to prove to himself he'd done everything he could to find those responsible for murdering his wife and son.

I decided to stay on.  I was still needed... well, I thought I was.  Snake oil salesman!  That's what he actually said.  Like what I had been doing was a farce... not real... a sham.  I never said I was no doctor... would never claim to be... but I'm no snake oil salesman.  I help people and...  Okay.  Okay.  Josiah is signaling me to calm down.

If I look past Bryce's judgmental attitude....  Okay, Josiah.  Okay.  Breathing deeply.

~~~~~~

Back.  Sorry about that.  I don't get uptight often but this really stirs me up.

When we were leaving, it was Ezra's expression I noticed most.  Ezra and I didn't always see eye to eye but he was riding off alone and that worried me... worried him too - I could tell.  Josiah and I chatted about that on the way out to the reservation and Josiah said that Ezra would return to the fold when the time was right.  That man's faith astounds me at times.

I knew that Vin and Chris would meet up once their business was taken care of and J.D. would look after Buck... or visa versa... I was never sure who was the big brother there.    Josiah and I had decided to stay together.  Josiah is the best friend I've ever had.  I've never respected a man more than I respect Josiah... probably why he frustrates me so much some days with his stubborn nature.  

I was still angry when Vin and Chris rode in and asked me to go back into the town that had turned us away.  Vin's words, "And a lot of other people who need us" drained the anger.  That said it all.  We were needed by people we care about.  It's always good to be needed.  Besides, that was _my_ town... "our" town.  Josiah had said to me that when the time was right we'd return...  I just didn't realize it would be so soon.

Only one thing left to do... find Ezra.  When we caught up with him and I saw that tar on his face, I knew he needed to rejoin us.  He needs looking after.  

Okay.  Yeah.  The truth is, I worry about him and... I'd missed him.  Ezra and I may spark a bit, but there's no other man I'd want fighting at my side.

When Vin, Chris, Buck and J.D. returned from town and said Bryce was dead, I suddenly felt guilty.  I hadn't liked the man, but I hasn't wished him dead either.  Bryce paid for his ignorance with his life.  Perhaps we should have tried to show him he was going about it all wrong.  Josiah said that Bryce had to follow his own path.  I guess he's right.

Our plan went like clockwork... without me having to patch up anyone I cared about.... and then we set about rebuilding "our" town.  Best of all, the judge rehired us.

Yep, it's good to feel needed... and to be a part of group like ours.

Those are my thoughts on that period of time.  Hope they have given you some insights into the way I looked at that time.

 **Nathan Jackson** ****  
  



	8. Vin Tanner

Hi everyone,

Brigitta, Teri and Carole have asked me to comment on the period of time we call New Law.

I guess Marshal Bryce coming to town was a bit of a wake-up call for me.  While the bounty and tracking down Eli Jo was never far from my thoughts, I had become comfortable in town.  Call me crazy but the weekly gun battles and protecting the people of the town made me comfortable.  Josiah said it gave us all a sense of purpose and maybe even a greater sense of worth... but you know Josiah - always talking through his hat.

I never amounted to much growing up.  Then becoming a bounty hunter... I wasn’t exactly held in high esteem.  But in Four Corners, no one really cared about what I was... only who I was – or that’s what I thought.  I was one of seven peacekeepers who the town were pleased to have around.  Marshall Bryce coming to town sort of burst that bubble.  Those who had needed and welcomed us, quickly turned their backs on us.  Life has taught me that people can be fickle and to simply roll with the punches.

I know Chris was disappointed when the judge released us from our contract.  I could see it in his eyes.  As for J.D... the kid was crushed.  He was living his dream and ‘law and order’ took that away and ruined the adventure.

None of us were much at talking on what was happening or for good byes so when we parted ways it was almost as if it wasn’t happening.... or maybe was and all of the rest of it felt like it had been some sort of dream.

When we packed up, I caught Chris’ eyes.  I’d already told him the route I thought the wagon thief would take so he knew where I was, and he told me he was heading for Purgatory... unfinished business.  Once I’d found the wagon, I was going to meet him there.  We’d deal with his unfinished business and then go on to deal with mine.  We didn’t really discuss it... we both just sort of understood.  That was the way it was between us... the way it is. 

I knew Buck would keep an eye on J.D... and J.D. would keep an eye on Buck <g>... so there was no issue there and Nathan and Josiah were staying close to town for a little while to make sure everything was okay.  Only one I wasn’t certain about was Ezra.  Funny thing is, now, none of us would dream of taking off without letting the others know where, yet I rode away not knowing where Ezra was headed... or if I’d see him again.  Reckon fate brought us together for a reason and would again if we was needed.

When Chris said there was trouble in town, I saw faces in my mind’s eye - innocent people who couldn’t stand up for themselves.  When we rode to collect the boys, it felt right.  Josiah said God was riding with us that day.... I was just pleased the six best men I’ve ever known were there.

Reckon I was relieved when the judge said we could stay.  I wasn’t quite ready to move on.  Something was holding me in Four Corners... and it certainly wasn’t the food or the lodgings.  <g> 

Well, that’s all I can think to say about the time Marshal Bryce rode into town. 

Take care,  
  
**Vin**  



End file.
